86: Ross-shire
A simple weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and translation.
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Siorrachd Rois
Tha seann òran à Siorrachd Rois air a bheil “An t-Alltan Dubh”. Tha e a’ tòiseachadh mar seo: Tha lighe an-diugh san Alltan Dubh, ’s chan urrainn mi dhol thairis air.... ’S e òran seilg a th’ ann. Sgrìobh Dòmhnall Friseal e. Bha Dòmhnall na gheamair ann am Fainich. Air an latha sin bha cus uisge anns an allt. Bha an sruth ro làidir. Tha lighe an-diugh san Alltan Dubh, ’s chan urrainn mi dhol thairis air....
Tha an rathad mòr eadar Inbhir Nis is Ulapul a’ dol thairis air an Alltan Dubh faisg air Gairbh. Bidh uisge mòr anns an allt gu tric. Oir tha beanntan faisg air. Ach bha e uabhasach dona as t-samhradh ochd ceud deug, fichead ’s a naoi (1829). Bha lighe ann an uair sin, gun teagamh.
’S e samhradh teth a bh’ ann. Ach thachair rudan annasach. Nochd na Fir-chlis. Bha iad uabhasach soilleir. Bha gaoth làidir ann nuair a nochd iad. Agus corra latha, ann an corra àite, bha uisge mòr ann. Chan e fras, ach dìle.
Sàbaid a bha seo bha muinntir Cheann Loch Lùicheirt anns an eaglais. ’S e Ceann Loch Lùicheirt baile beag eadar Gairbh is Ach na Sìne. Bha dìle ann. Chunnaic aon duine an rud a thachair. Cha robh esan anns an eaglais. Chunnaic e maoim-slèibhe. Landslide. Maoim-slèibhe.
Thàinig i gu luath a-nuas air a’ bhaile. Rinn i sgrios air a h-uile rud. Dh’fhalbh na taighean aig na daoine. Dh’fhalbh na drochaidean thairis air na h-uillt. Bha e duilich dha-rìribh.
Sìos an rathad ann an Gairbh anns an t-samhradh sin, bha tuil anns an taigh-òsta. Ach chan ann air an aon latha a bha sin. Thachair e latha eile. Bha an samhradh sin dona airson tuiltean.
Dh’èirich an t-uisge am broinn Taigh-òsta Ghairbh gu doimhneachd de cheithir troighean. Bha buidheann de shealgairean a’ fuireach ann. Chleachd iad ròpan airson faighinn a-mach gu sàbhailteachd air cnoc.
Agus – seadh – thàinig an t-uisge sin bhon Alltan Dubh. Bha lighe anns an Alltan Dubh agus cha b’ urrainn duine dhol thairis air.
Faclan is abairtean: seann òran à Siorrachd Rois: an old song from Ross-shire; air a bheil: called; tha lighe an-diugh san Alltan Dubh:there is a flood today in the Alltan Dubh; chan urrainn mi dhol thairis air: I can’t go over it; ’s e òran seilg a th’ ann:it is a hunting song; Dòmhnall Friseal: Donald Fraser; na gheamair ann am Fainich: a gamekeeper in Fannich; cus uisge:too much water; bha an sruth ro làidir: the current was too strong; faisg air Gairbh: near Garve; tha beanntan faisg air:there are mountains near it; bha e uabhasach dona as t-samhradh: it was terribly bad in the summer; thachair rudan annasach:unusual things happened; nochd na Fir-chlis: the aurora borealis appeared; corra latha, ann an corra àite: [on] the occasional day, in an occasional place; chan e fras, ach dìle: not a shower, but an excessively heavy fall of rain; Sàbaid a bha seo: this particular Sunday; ’s e Ceann Loch Lùicheirt baile beag eadar Gairbh is Ach na Sìne:Kinlochluichart is a small village between Garve and Achnasheen; maoim-slèibhe: landslide; thàinig i gu luath a-nuas air a’ bhaile: it came down quickly on the village; rinn i sgrios air a h-uile rud: it destroyed everything; dh’fhalbh na drochaidean thairis air na h-uillt: the bridges over the burns went [were destroyed]; bha tuil anns an taigh-òsta: there was a flood in the inn; chan ann air an aon latha a bha sin: that wasn’t on the same day; dh’èirich an t-uisge am broinn Taigh-òsta Ghairbh: the water inside the Garve Hotel; doimhneachd de cheithir troighean: a depth of four feet; buidheann de shealgairean: a group of hunters; chleachd iad ròpan airson faighinn a-mach gu sàbhailteachd: they used ropes to get out to safety; agus – seadh – thàinig an t-uisge sin bhon Alltan Dubh: and – aye – that water came from the Alltan Dubh; cha b’ urrainn duine dhol thairis air: nobody could go over it.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 390
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